Report: Dodgers Close to Signing Adam Kennedy For Some Reason
November 29, 2011 at 2:30 pm | Posted in Adam Kennedy | 44 Comments
In my drafts folder right now, there’s about 1200 words of a 75% written post that was going to go up tomorrow, discussing how the Dodger offensive roster is largely set except for a backup infielder, either to supplant Justin Sellers or to join him. According to Tony Jackson, it looks like I might not have the luxury of finishing that post:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to an agreement with free-agent infielder Adam Kennedy, according to multiple sources. Length and terms of the deal weren’t immediately available.
Kennedy, who can play first, second and third, satisfies the Dodgers’ need for a utility infielder and leaves just one major item on their offseason shopping list, that being a starting pitcher to replace Hiroki Kuroda.
Kennedy’s been on four squads in the last five years and five in the last six, mainly earning notice due to Seattle’s shocking willingness to let him hit 3rd or 4th (33 starts in those two spots in 2011) and his arrest for drunk driving shortly after signing. Still, that hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from apparently trying to bringing him in to fill the Aaron Miles Memorial “I’m Short, I’m White, I’m Gritty, and Darn It, People Like Me!” spot on the roster which is apparently mandated in the new CBA. He was once a plus-fielding second baseman with a bit of pop for some very good mid-decade Angels teams, though he’s now become a defensively average-at-best utility man with a bat that totally bottomed out in 2011, putting up a wOBA that ranked as his second-worst thanks to career-worst BB/9 and K/9 rates. Of the 203 players who got at least 400 plate appearances last season, only six had lower marks than Kennedy.
At 36, off years of mediocrity save for a surprisingly okay 2009, it’s unlikely he’s suddenly going to turn that around; if you’re going to add a player who can’t hit, he might as well be able to play shortstop, which Kennedy cannot, disappointing on a team with Gordon’s frailty and a second baseman who can’t slide over as Jamey Carroll once did. I also like this note from Jackson’s piece, pointing out one of Kennedy’s many shortcomings:
Kennedy, who will turn 36 in January, also gives the Dodgers a left-handed bat off the bench, although he has a career .223 average as a pinch hitter.
Is he better than Sellers? He might not be better than Peter Sellers, and Peter Sellers died 30 years ago. Kennedy is maybe worth a non-roster invite, maybe. But he’s a veteran, so on this squad, that’ll get him locked up to a guaranteed deal. Hey, maybe even multiple years! I suppose if I had to sum this move up in three words, it’d have to be “Colletti gonna Colletti”.
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Argh. Ned being Ned yet again. At least it will almost certainly be a 1 year deal…
Comment by Harold— November 29, 2011 #
Let’s pray Hansen turns him into his pupil this Spring.
Comment by SteveT— November 29, 2011 #
>> Still, that hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from apparently trying to bringing him in to fill the Aaron Miles Memorial “I’m Short, I’m White, I’m Gritty, and Darn It, People Like Me!” spot on the roster which is apparently mandated in the new CBA.
I don’t see any reason to inject racism into the discussion. Or any other irrelevant factors. It’s not a big move, and it’s probably not a lot of money. You ought to be saying that instead of getting all hysterical…
Comment by KS— November 29, 2011 #
Racism? I’m going to assume this is a joke that just went way over my head.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
Instead of focusing on racism(whatever) we should focus on the hilarity of your comment,
“He might not be better than Peter Sellers, and Peter Sellers died 30 years ago.”
That, my friend, was beautiful.
Comment by John Tiner— November 29, 2011 #
While you’re on the subject, we can talk about how it seems like only useless white players are labeled as “gritty” and so they get nonsense contracts based on that, and how it doesn’t seem like non white players get the same treatment. Mike was commenting on that, not making a statement on race.
Comment by Bip— November 29, 2011 #
Mike, you may need therapy to deal with this horrible and illegitamte view of short, white people. Specifically the ones who happen to play middle infield. It is just ridiculous and I had hoped we had gotten past this idea in a modern society. I mean come on, you know better than that.
Comment by Al— November 29, 2011 #
As a short, white person who played middle infield from age 7-17, MSTI is pretty spot on. I was pretty damn gritty because I kept playing despite my lack of hitting or fielding ability.
Comment by game6ers— November 29, 2011 #
Me too!
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
Frank White was gritty but his name is white.
Comment by a— November 29, 2011 #
Go over to Dingers blog and take a look at the study he is conducting.
Comment by DodgersKings323— November 29, 2011 #
That Dingers study looks very interesting… I am also curious, has anyone ever done research showing if their is any correlation between a players WAR, his ethnicity, and how much he gets paid? For instance, which ethnicity gets paid the most per Win they contribute. That would be an interesting study as well…
Comment by Danny H— November 30, 2011 #
Gordon
M. Ellis
Kemp
Ethier
Sands/Rivera
Loney
Uribe
A. Ellis
Dear Lord, Matt Kemp had better go 50/50 next year. That’s has got to be the worst infield in baseball, and I’m giving Gordon A LOT of slack here.
Comment by game6ers— November 29, 2011 #
Matt Kemp better get 50/50…awesome line and unfortunately true!
Comment by Jon#7#22— November 29, 2011 #
I love the mlb.com analysis of the Mark Ellis signing. According to their guy, I think one of the Duquettes, signing Ellis gives them, along with Gordon, one of the best defensive middle infields in baseball, and Ellis is the kind of guy you bat “second or eighth.” I love that one, “you may or may not want to give this guy 100 additional plate appearances.”
Comment by Bip— November 29, 2011 #
For the sake of Baltimore fans, I sure hope its Jim and not Dan.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
Makes no sense and even more since he can’t play SS. I don’t get it?
Comment by Jon#7#22— November 29, 2011 #
The fact that Kennedy can’t play SS likely increases the chances that Sellers makes the big club in 2012 as the other backup utility infielder. Sellers can back up 2B, SS, and 3B. Kennedy can back up 2B, 3B, and even 1B. To me, it’s not the type of positional versatility that calls this signing into question, but rather the choice of Kennedy over Betemit, who can still actually hit and could also back up 3B, 2B, and 1B. Betemit even has played SS in a pinch.
Comment by The Dude Abides— November 29, 2011 #
I’m not sure what to do here. I haven’t agreed with a single decision that the most important part of the organization has made in years. So done with Ned Colletti.
Comment by @BrocNessMonster— November 29, 2011 #
Colletti needs to GTFO now.
Comment by Wil— November 29, 2011 #
I se this as the Dodgers needing a lefty bench bat to fill the Carroll/Miles void. They cant have an all righty bench
Comment by format— November 29, 2011 #
Right now the bench is Matt Treanor. “Officially” that is. Presumably Sands will make the team instead of more time in AAA. Maybe Kennedy is hired. That leaves 2 spots open. Again presumably Gwynn is brought back since they do not have a player to back up CF or be a defensive OF replacement and that leaves keeping Sellers on the ML bench since only Uribe could back up SS.
Treanor, Sands, Kennedy, Gwynn and Sellers – not an inspirational bench. Gwynn being the lone lefty and Sands being the only one who resembles a hitter. Probably Mattingly will be having them bunt a lot.
Comment by Kirk Davenport— November 29, 2011 #
Well, Kennedy also hits lefty in theory, but since he can’t hit at all it doesn’t matter. I agree, what a brutal bench. And it so easily didn’t need to be this way.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
But Format, merely being lefty isn’t good enough. We saw that with Navarro. You need to also bring some skill.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
kinda reminds me of C. Monty Burns pinch hitting for Daryl Strawberry with Homer Simpson because he was ‘playing the numbers’. in fact Ned reminds me more and more of Burnsy the more i think about it.
Comment by sumdumfu— November 29, 2011 #
Hes better suited to star in the walking dead
Comment by Pedro guerrero— November 29, 2011 #
I swear, Colletti just looks for guys that have played at positions and signs them. Oh, you’ve played 2B and 3B in the past, why not play for us? He signs people irrespective of talent … losing Colletti will literally net us 2-3 wins almost instantly. What the hell will Adam Kennedy provide to this team? Why the hell does he get a guaranteed K?
Comment by Doppel— November 29, 2011 #
Why sign Adam Kennedy and not Wilson Betemit? My speculation is that MSTI is correct that Colletti highly values Kennedy’s “grittiness,” while ignoring Betemit’s “overall hitting” and “batting eye” and “power.”
Comment by The Dude Abides— November 29, 2011 #
This is such a great point. Betemit would have been a far better solution for backup LH IF.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
Why sign guys who help you score runs? Doing the “little things” and being “good in the clubhouse” are what make for a winning team. Straight from the old school GM handbook.
Comment by Deuce— November 29, 2011 #
“And what’s wrong with that? You guys think that Manny was so great in 2008, but the real Dodger MVP was pro’s-pro Mark Sweeney. Our pinch hitter extraordinaire ran out every single one of his five-hop grounders to second base. He ran hard on every foul pop-up. He had a professional haircut and gave wonderful post-game interviews. Sure, Sweeney batted .130 and only had three extra-base hits all season, and every other NL team had at least two pitchers who outhit him. But he set a great example for the young players in our clubhouse about how to act like a professional, even though he wasn’t able to play any position on the field. I can’t emphasize enough how important that is.” – Ned Colletti
Comment by The Dude Abides— November 29, 2011 #
Remember that article from a while back arguing that the Dodgers were “finally embracing sabermetrics”? Um, here’s the rebuttal.
Comment by SamL— November 29, 2011 #
i’m so mad at myself that I allowed that report to give me any sort of hope whatsoever.
Comment by Bip— November 29, 2011 #
Ditto
Comment by @BrocNessMonster— November 29, 2011 #
Ha. Well put.
Comment by Mike— November 29, 2011 #
Ned – It’s the pitching staff stupid.
Comment by Ken— November 29, 2011 #
Still holding out some hope. No where did it say that we were giving him a major league deal.
Comment by Brandon— November 29, 2011 #
It’s a ML deal…
Comment by @BrocNessMonster— November 29, 2011 #
It’s not just a ML deal. Have you seen his stats from 2002? Adam has shown he is a player and I will not get out bid on him. I am thinking 2 years with a third year player option. Really this is a no brainer.
Comment by Ned Colletti— November 30, 2011 #
Ned… your determination to prove yourself in the face of all obstacles, like ‘competence’ and ‘average intelligence’ and ‘making the team better instead of worse’ are awe-inspiring and frankly, movie material. one might even say it was CharlieBrownsian in scope, in the way you never give up the dream of being liked. as Jimmy V once said, don’t give up. don’t ever. give. up.
Comment by sumdumfu— November 30, 2011 #
Oh come on!! At least I’m fast!
Comment by Eugenio Velez— November 29, 2011 #
fun facts about adam kennedy:
He went to my high school (John W. North HS in Riverside, CA) where his dad was a football coach. He was also the starting point guard for our basketball team that went to CIF SS div. IV finals at the (at the time) Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. guy had shockingly good hops for a stocky white dude. i remember he got a clean above-the-rim block on a driving layup only to be called for a BS foul by the refs.
he was a beefy dude in person, and had some popeye-like calves.
Comment by sumdumfu— November 29, 2011 #
[...] the wonderfully-named “The Dude Abides” noted in the comments yesterday, if you’re going to get a lefty-swinging infield bat who can sort of play a few positions, [...]
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[...] the wonderfully-named “The Dude Abides” noted in the comments yesterday, if you’re going to get a lefty-swinging infield bat who can sort of play a few positions, [...]
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